New Criterion discs announced

[tony]

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=35017

[tonyw]

What are these items doing on a site dedicated to Orson Welles? Do you work for Criterion?

[tony]

No- Lol! I've always posted these every year just to let Wellesnet readers know that Wind yet again is not going to be issued on disc, and how often bland titles are going to be issued. Jonathan Rosenbaum wrote that the head of Criterion told him that Wind will never be issued on disc. I've written Criterion, and I hope interested Wellesians will also write (if they haven't already). However, at this point, I'm hoping another company will step up and issue Wind on disc, before discs aren't made anymore!

[tonyw]

Thanks for this clarification. Perhaps, in future, a logo such as WHERE IS WIND? would help. Also, Criterion has lost it now. Perhaps another company like Kino-Lorber, Eureka, MASTERS OF CINEMA, even Flicker Alley could try for the rights

[edmoney]

No- Lol! I've always posted these every year just to let Wellesnet readers know that Wind yet again is not going to be issued on disc, and how often bland titles are going to be issued. Jonathan Rosenbaum wrote that the head of Criterion told him that Wind will never be issued on disc. I've written Criterion, and I hope interested Wellesians will also write (if they haven't already). However, at this point, I'm hoping another company will step up and issue Wind on disc, before discs aren't made anymore!

Never?? How strange for the head of Criterion to make such a definitive declaration. I know Wind isn't going to light it up at the cash register, but I'm pretty sure Criterion has released titles that are arguably more obscure and even less commercial. And it's not like Welles is outside of Criterion's wheelhouse (i.e. 8 Welles films released by them on disc).

[tony]

Rosenbaum guessed that it has something to do with Wind allegedly being politically incorrect, as Oja Kodar appears in that film in redface.
If that's true, then Touch of Evil (with Heston in brownface) and Othello (with Welles in blackface) are in trouble too.

[tonyw]

This is really crazy. I hope I have no trouble with OTHELLO0 and TOUCH OF EVIL in my Welles class this semester. I think not. They are good students and the superhero faction dropped out last week.

[Steve Paradis]

Jonathan Rosenbaum wrote that the head of Criterion told him that Wind will never be issued on disc.

Could it be some rights issue or ownership? Conditional permission for streaming but for no other media form?
Criterion is not the only house-- Kino and Cohen do a great job when they get the chance.

[Le Chiffre]

Yes they do, which makes me wonder if it isn't a lack of interest at Netflix's end that is holding things up.

Criterion has received criticism in recent years for not being woke enough in their selections, though. That may possibly have something to do with it too.

[tony]

In the same interview, I believe Rosenbaum specified that Criterion has exclusive rights to issue Wind, but are refusing to do so.
Which sounds illogical to me.

[jtarvainen]

As much as I respect Rosenbaum, I just don't think those statements of his concerning Wind are credible. That said, FWIW I've also written to Criterion (twice, I think) requesting that they release the film on disc.

Could it be some rights issue or ownership? Conditional permission for streaming but for no other media form?

I've often wondered this myself. Could Sasha Kodar be holding it up?